Music by Erich Korngold from his opera "Die Tode Stadt"

Soprano - Constance Hauman

Piano - Bill Vendice

Commissioned by Constance Hauman for her narrative recital "Exiles in Paradise" about Jewish composers who fled the Nazis and came to America, particularly Los Angeles.

"Marietta's Lied" is set to Korngold's exquisite song from his opera "Die Tode Stadt". The piece uses cutouts of German cabaret performers from 1935 to render in mythic shorthand the tragic story of the emigration to Los Angeles of many German Jewish composers between the World Wars and during the second one, but in particular Korngold's life. The film was commissioned by soprano Constance Hauman for her narrative recital "Exiles in Paradise" which premiered in November (1998) in New York City. --Lewis Klahr